Staying Fit AND Staying Social – How To Find The Balance

When you think about getting together with friends what activities come to mind? Happy Hour on the patio? Lunch or dinner at a new restaurant? Brunch at that place with the great mimosas? A BBQ?

More than likely, the center of the activity for these functions centers around food and leisure, rather than physical activity or working out. It doesn’t help that we tend to indulge a little more when we are with friends and in a celebratory atmosphere – an extra drink here or a dessert there that we would otherwise resist.

Now that the weather is (finally!) nicer we tend to start socializing more—which is great, and certainly something we’ve been looking forward to after a long winter. However, when frequent socialization takes us off track from our good habits on a regular basis, it’s important to make sure to have a plan to say fit while still enjoying an active, summer social life. Here are some easy tips:

1. Be the instigator. In your circle of colleagues or friends, suggest get-togethers that require physical activity. Suggest going for a walk instead of meeting in a conference room, take an exercise class together, or go for a hike. When the main attraction of a gathering requires physical exertion, people are less likely to gravitate to the lounge chairs and beer coolers!

2. Put your fitness first. Don’t sacrifice your daily workout for the party. Even if you have developed the habit of consistently working out, it is easy to get busy and skip a workout here and there because of a busy schedule or a fun invitation. Before you know it, you will wake up one morning and realize that it has been weeks since you had a really good workout. Make every invitation you accept conditional on whether you get your workout in that day. Partiesand social gatherings then become a reward for sticking to your fitness routine!

3. Be a leader. Did you know that researchers have demonstrated that if your friend becomes obese, you are 57% more likely to become obese yourself? Worse yet, if that friend is your bestie, spouse or partner the odds increase to 171%! The good news is that the researchers also think that it works the other way around as well. Namely, that while weight gain is contagious, so too is weight loss.1 This means that as you work hard to protect your own fitness level this summer, in doing so you can also have a profound affect on the fitness level of your friends. Be known for health and discipline in your circle of friends – they’ll all thank you at the end of summer!

4. Finally, one of the smartest things you can do to stay fit while keeping up with your social circle is to get accountability. Don’t be a lone ranger. If you have others who are working hard to live a life of vibrant health checking up on you and holding you to your comittments, your chances of staying on track skyrocket. If you need some help with this, or just want to be sure you’re maximizing the time you are working out, give us a call! We offer private and semi-private training, 30-minute small group classes and even program design – workouts designed for you to do at home, your gym, or wherever your summer plans take you!

Please check out this article on obesity and how it relates to the company you keep.